Handling Pet Loss and Bereavement

Hi everyone 😊 I just want to say what a pleasure it is to write this blog for Fetch & Thrive. ❤️ 

I’m Tracey and I am a pet bereavement counsellor. I have been through pet bereavement first hand and want to share not just my own journey, but to talk about the subject of pet bereavement.

My journey began when I lost my beloved dog Sunnie two years ago. 

Sunnie was (and still is) my heart dog. She was diagnosed with heart failure at 11 years old and started struggling to walk and breathe. 

The first year was one of the hardest years of my life when she passed and as time went on, I started to think how I could turn all the unconditional love Sunnie brought me into something I could give back to others. I work in healthcare and it seemed a natural path to go onto training as a pet bereavement counsellor. 

A lot of people still are unaware of pet bereavement counselling and I dread the inevitable response from well meaning friends or family members that will of course say, “you will be okay, it’s only a pet!” That phrase actually fills me with shivers! This stigma of pet bereavement being classed as disenfranchised grief is so sad as our pets are our friend/child/partner and this casual comment can cut so very deep and that’s where I feel talking to a pet bereavement counsellor can help.

Pet loss, be that a planned passing through euthanasia, a sudden passing, a recent or historical passing, a rehoming or a lost pet is a heartbreak like no other the loss and leaves a huge void for us and for our existing human/animal family members left behind. 

Healing is an individual journey. It’s not about forgetting the memories, it’s about embracing the love and warmth our pets brought to us. There is no set time, no set pattern, it’s about taking small steps, emulating that love from our pets that will stay forever in our hearts and going onwards into the future.

A simple act of walking in the garden where our beloved pet once stood can seem impossible to do, but with supported guidance done at your own pace, that walk will be possible again, and done with the loving memory of your pet glowing inside.

There are many ways to keep the love of our pet alive still within our hearts and these are very individual. What brings one person comfort may fill another person with sadness, for example, having your pet’s ashes close to you might help you feel close to them but to another person that is too painful and even looking at them is hard to do.

My advice is to do what feels right for you. Start by taking the smallest of steps; just the act of lighting a candle and closing your eyes and thinking of the love from your pet wrapping around your heart can bring a comfort, knowing they know how much you loved them and always will.

If you want to know more about how I can help you, please reach out and don’t suffer alone. Pet grief is real and I am here to help you heal. 

Tracey, Paws of Comfort 🐾❤️